Trump: Iran 'made a very big mistake' by shooting down U.S. military drone

By

Darryl Coote & Nicholas Sakelaris

President Donald Trump said Thursday that Iran "made a very big mistake" by shooting down a U.S. military drone and said the public will soon learn of the United States' response. Photo by Jim Lo Scalzo/UPI | License Photo

The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps said it shot down a U.S. surveillance drone in its airspace. Photo courtesy of U.S. Air Force

June 20 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump said Thursday that "Iran made a very big mistake" by shooting down a U.S. military drone along the country's southern coast.

While participating in a bilateral meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the White House, Trump said he believes shooting down the drone was a "very foolish move," but added he believes the move may have been unintentional.

"I have a feeling that it was a mistake made by somebody that shouldn't have been doing what they did," said Trump. "And I'm not just talking the country made a mistake. I think that somebody under the command of that country made a big mistake."

He added that it "would have made a big difference" if the drone was manned and that the public will soon learn how the United States will respond.

"Obviously, you know we're not going to be talking too much about it, you're going to find out," Trump said.

In a statement, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps said the Iranian air force downed the U.S.-made surveillance drone after it penetrated airspace near the Kouh-e Mobarak region in Hormozgan province, Iran's state-run Press TV reported.

The United States Central Command, however, answered Thursday the drone was shot down in international airspace.

"The United States does not seek conflict with Iran," the secretary said in a statement. The deployment is "to ensure that the safety and welfare of our military personnel working throughout the region and to protect our national interests."

Tensions between the United States and Iran have risen for months, and the conflict deepened last week following an attack on two tankers in the Gulf of Oman the United States blamed on Tehran. Tensions first began to escalate following the Trump administration pulling out of the 2015 nuclear deal, citing it was "defective at its core."

Iran said Monday it will resume enriching uranium, surpassing the limit set by the Obama-era agreement.